Written by

Joe Rexrode and James Jahnke
Detroit Free-Press

It took almost two months beyond National Signing Day, but Malik McDowell has his school and Michigan State football has its five-star recruiting centerpiece.

McDowell, a blue-chip defensive end from Southfield, tweeted Wednesday morning that he signed his national letter of intent with the Spartans at 11:12 p.m. Tuesday night, about 45 minutes before the deadline for signing such a letter. McDowell could have still attended MSU without signing a national letter of intent, but this makes it official.